Posted: 9/12/2013 7:39:19 AM EDT
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I read the previous thread in 2011 about this question and even then, the answers were back and forth.
I have a friend in the Military. Via this friend, I obtained 2 custom Benchmade Auto-Knives. Both blades fall under 4". I like the form/feel of these knives very much so, if push comes to shove, I will buy the folding version...However, these are amazing knives so, figured I'd ask first. I would like to EDC one of them. When I asked a cop this morning, I was told that because I have a concealed pistol permit, I'd be fine. I'm not comfortable with that answer. Fine =/= Legal. So, is it LEGAL to carry a Benchmade Auto-Knife with a blade UNDER 4", NOT qualified as a Switchblade, in public, as an EDC? |
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legal to own. ILLEGAL to carry in public. you have yourself some very fancy letter openers. keep them in your desk. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2007/rpt/2007-R-0346.htm - looks like you can carry the auto knife if you are going fishing. |
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Quoted:
legal to own. ILLEGAL to carry in public. you have yourself some very fancy letter openers. keep them in your desk. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2007/rpt/2007-R-0346.htm - looks like you can carry the auto knife if you are going fishing. Quoted:
legal to own. ILLEGAL to carry in public. you have yourself some very fancy letter openers. keep them in your desk. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2007/rpt/2007-R-0346.htm - looks like you can carry the auto knife if you are going fishing. This is where we get into grey water. The actual law is: Sec. 53-206. Carrying of dangerous weapons prohibited.
(a) Any person who carries upon his or her person[...] any switch knife, or any knife having an automatic spring release device by which a blade is released from the handle, having a blade of over one and one-half inches in length, or stiletto, or any knife the edged portion of the blade of which is four inches or more in length[...] or any other dangerous or deadly weapon or instrument, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than three years or both. In reading this, the actual law, I do understand WHY there is confusion. At this point, I'm going to order the manual, just to carry...It's not worth that 1 asshole cop, getting me for having an auto. |
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Sorry, but your permit to carry pistols and revolvers is just that, and no more. It does not cover any other weapons. You used to be able to get a permit from your local PD for "Dangerous Weapons", but the legislature got rid of it some years back at the request of the CT Chiefs of Police.
Ironically, it would seem that you CAN carry an auto knife while hunting or fishing, but the way they wrote the law, the blade MUST be over 4" in length "(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to ..... (3) the carrying of a knife, the edged portion of the blade of which is four inches or more in length, by ........ (F) any person holding a valid hunting, fishing or trapping license issued pursuant to chapter 490 or any salt water fisherman carrying such knife for lawful hunting, fishing or trapping activities," It doesn't restrict the type of knife other than to say that the blade must be over 4". 
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Quoted: Sorry, but your permit to carry pistols and revolvers is just that, and no more. It does not cover any other weapons. You used to be able to get a permit from your local PD for "Dangerous Weapons", but the legislature got rid of it some years back at the request of the CT Chiefs of Police. Ironically, it would seem that you CAN carry an auto knife while hunting or fishing, but the way they wrote the law, the blade MUST be over 4" in length "(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to ..... (3) the carrying of a knife, the edged portion of the blade of which is four inches or more in length, by ........ (F) any person holding a valid hunting, fishing or trapping license issued pursuant to chapter 490 or any salt water fisherman carrying such knife for lawful hunting, fishing or trapping activities," It doesn't restrict the type of knife other than to say that the blade must be over 4". my new hunting / fishing knife: http://www.bladehq.com/item--Asheville-Steel-Paragon--5984 tanto http://www.bladehq.com/item--Asheville-Steel-Paragon-Estiletto--10418 just keep a small fishing pole with a small tackle box in the trunk. |
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Don't carry it.
I know a guy who had issue with state police for carrying one couple months ago. Nice older gent, in his fifties. Knife was a gift and didn't know the law. Pulled over and had an auto knife and his sig .380 ccw. Got in trouble for the knife only. Now court and nonsense. All paid for by our taxes. |
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Quoted:
legal to own. ILLEGAL to carry in public. you have yourself some very fancy letter openers. keep them in your desk. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2007/rpt/2007-R-0346.htm - looks like you can carry the auto knife if you are going fishing. I own one with a 1.25" blade. Sicne its under 1.5, it should be good to go. I don't carry it, however, out of concern of how it may be interpreted by an uninformed officer. |
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Not 100% sure about owning, but carrying one is definitely illegal.
Here is the thing... Automatic knives can only be sold to LE, Military, Secret Service, and so on... That being said, a civilian cannot legally purchase an automatic knife. I don't know what would happen if someone purchases auto knife while in official capacity, and retired / leaves after. However, bottom line is - civilians cannot legally purchase (i.e. own) automatic knives. EDIT: Sorry, forgot to mention, under 1.5 inch blade - ok. 
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Quoted:
Not 100% sure about owning, but carrying one is definitely illegal. Here is the thing... Automatic knives can only be sold to LE, Military, Secret Service, and so on... That being said, a civilian cannot legally purchase an automatic knife. I don't know what would happen if someone purchases auto knife while in official capacity, and retired / leaves after. However, bottom line is - civilians cannot legally purchase (i.e. own) automatic knives. EDIT: Sorry, forgot to mention, under 1.5 inch blade - ok. By federal statute, it is illegal sell one to through interstate commerce, except to certain personnel. There is no prohibition on intrastate commerce, and the federal government has yet to apply an interpretation of the interstate commerce prohibition that extends to intrastate sales. This makes some automatic knives available to certain civilian purchasers in some states. The other important thing to remember is that there is a big difference between the acquisition of an item, and the possession of the same item. It may be criminal for an item to be sold to an individual, but is not necessarily unlawful for that individual to simply own or possess the item. Additionally, there may be situations in which an individual may have at some point in the past been able to lawfully acquire an item, but no longer has the status which allowed (or exempted the prohibition on acquisition), yet is not prohibited from possession. Longer is fine to. You just can't possess it outside your home, business, or other circumstances that are narrowly defined by statute. For example, in addition to my 1.25" switchblade, I also own a 2.75" that I do not take out of my residence. |
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Quoted:
Sorry, but your permit to carry pistols and revolvers is just that, and no more. It does not cover any other weapons. You used to be able to get a permit from your local PD for "Dangerous Weapons", but the legislature got rid of it some years back at the request of the CT Chiefs of Police. Ironically, it would seem that you CAN carry an auto knife while hunting or fishing, but the way they wrote the law, the blade MUST be over 4" in length "(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to ..... (3) the carrying of a knife, the edged portion of the blade of which is four inches or more in length, by ........ (F) any person holding a valid hunting, fishing or trapping license issued pursuant to chapter 490 or any salt water fisherman carrying such knife for lawful hunting, fishing or trapping activities," It doesn't restrict the type of knife other than to say that the blade must be over 4". To muddy the waters even further the law clearly states anyone who "holds" a valid hunting.fishing or trapping license....it does not state you have to be in the act of hunting ,fishing or trapping.So keeping a knife 4" or over in your vehicle if you have a fishing license is not illegal by law but you can be assured they will try to charge you anyway. |
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Quoted:
You're always headed fishing  .
I use a rat 3 fixed and benchmade mini grip folder assisted open, no autos  .Wow get out of my head, I use a Rat3 fixed and a Benchmade Grip(Ritter Survival Knife) or Osborne assisted opener.I leave my RAT7 at home because I don't want some clueless State employee confiscating it. 
Personally I think Auto's are neat but I much prefer an assisted opener for safety and hassle reasons and its amazing how quick you can get one open after a little practice 
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Quoted:
To muddy the waters even further the law clearly states anyone who "holds" a valid hunting.fishing or trapping license....it does not state you have to be in the act of hunting ,fishing or trapping.So keeping a knife 4" or over in your vehicle if you have a fishing license is not illegal by law but you can be assured they will try to charge you anyway. Quoted:
Quoted:
Sorry, but your permit to carry pistols and revolvers is just that, and no more. It does not cover any other weapons. You used to be able to get a permit from your local PD for "Dangerous Weapons", but the legislature got rid of it some years back at the request of the CT Chiefs of Police. Ironically, it would seem that you CAN carry an auto knife while hunting or fishing, but the way they wrote the law, the blade MUST be over 4" in length "(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to ..... (3) the carrying of a knife, the edged portion of the blade of which is four inches or more in length, by ........ (F) any person holding a valid hunting, fishing or trapping license issued pursuant to chapter 490 or any salt water fisherman carrying such knife for lawful hunting, fishing or trapping activities," It doesn't restrict the type of knife other than to say that the blade must be over 4". To muddy the waters even further the law clearly states anyone who "holds" a valid hunting.fishing or trapping license....it does not state you have to be in the act of hunting ,fishing or trapping.So keeping a knife 4" or over in your vehicle if you have a fishing license is not illegal by law but you can be assured they will try to charge you anyway. In the past, I communicated with LE about a similar issue re. fixed blade field knives with a true-edge (sharpened) clip on the blade. I was told that based on current training that such a knife would be interpreted as a dagger based on the training they received, which (in short) was that a dagger (not a statutorily defined term) is a knife with a double edged blade. Possession of a hunting/ fishing/trapping license, and equipment, and even being engaged in the activity is irrelevant to them. I would expect that type of outcome if challenged on an (large) auto as well. |
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Quoted:
Wow get out of my head, I use a Rat3 fixed and a Benchmade Grip(Ritter Survival Knife) or Osborne assisted opener.I leave my RAT7 at home because I don't want some clueless State employee confiscating it.
Personally I think Auto's are neat but I much prefer an assisted opener for safety and hassle reasons and its amazing how quick you can get one open after a little practice Quoted:
Quoted:
You're always headed fishing .
I use a rat 3 fixed and benchmade mini grip folder assisted open, no autos .Wow get out of my head, I use a Rat3 fixed and a Benchmade Grip(Ritter Survival Knife) or Osborne assisted opener.I leave my RAT7 at home because I don't want some clueless State employee confiscating it.
Personally I think Auto's are neat but I much prefer an assisted opener for safety and hassle reasons and its amazing how quick you can get one open after a little practice I don't have any concerns about carrying a conventional 4"+ fixed blade (or folder if I owned one) while hunting or fishing. It seems like most people seem to accept carrying such a knife in those circumstances , that I don't believe that there is likely to be misinterpretation. It's amazing how many people I've encountered who carry them (unlawfully) while engaged in other outdoor recreational pursuits, and haven't a clue. |
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Good knives, I'm really waiting on them to come out with a stainless version rat or esee. Quoted: Wow get out of my head, I use a Rat3 fixed and a Benchmade Grip(Ritter Survival Knife) or Osborne assisted opener.I leave my RAT7 at home because I don't want some clueless State employee confiscating it. Personally I think Auto's are neat but I much prefer an assisted opener for safety and hassle reasons and its amazing how quick you can get one open after a little practice Quoted: Quoted: You're always headed fishing .I use a rat 3 fixed and benchmade mini grip folder assisted open, no autos .Wow get out of my head, I use a Rat3 fixed and a Benchmade Grip(Ritter Survival Knife) or Osborne assisted opener.I leave my RAT7 at home because I don't want some clueless State employee confiscating it. Personally I think Auto's are neat but I much prefer an assisted opener for safety and hassle reasons and its amazing how quick you can get one open after a little practice |